NBA 2K14 - PlayStation 4 User Review

8.0

'NBA 2k14' on the PlayStation 4 is a basketball video game that was developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports.

The NBA 2K series developed by Visual Concepts has always ranked as one of the must buy sporting games of the year, every year that they release. Published by 2K Sports, this series has gone on to win over the love of the entire basketball fanbase. Coming off of the semi lukewarm release of NBA 2K13, the team needed to really hit one out of the park with their 2014 entry. Thankfully we can say that the developers seemed to do just that. 'NBA 2K14' for the PS4 may just be one of the best sport based video games to ever hit the shelves.

Hit the court and prove yourself.

Turning on 'NBA 2K14' for the first time we were immediately hit with an awesome introductory video showcasing the new graphics and gameplay behind the title. Derrick Rose crosses over some scrub while LeBron James soars in for a huge dunk. The players look like realistic representations of themselves, even down to the end of the bench guys we end up playing as when we are bored. Our first impressive via the rendered video was one of hope. This game looked good.

Once you make it to the main menu you will have to deal with picking where you want to start your actual basketball adventure. 2K Sports gave fans many different options to mess around with upon starting out. You can dive straight into exhibition basketball in either local or online capacity or you can go to one of the special game modes. Let's break down a few of the different game modes that make this title so much fun and sure to be long lived in your rotation.

MyPlayer Mode

Perhaps the most revolutionary game mode to come out for a sports title in recent years, MyPlayer puts you into the shoes of an aspiring baller. You get to create a character and customize him down to his looks, age, and where he came up from in college. From there you will be thrown into a pretty simple storyline where you are given a rival who challenges you to push yourself at various times through your career. You'll go through training and then hit the live draft night where you hopefully land on a team that needs what you have to offer.

From there MyPlayer mode plays exceedingly well. Depending on your position, where you were drafted, and the other players on the team your playing time will fluctuate. My point guard landed on the Utah Jazz. With only Trey Burke ahead of me it wasn't long until I was earning consistent minutes as the 6th Man. By the midway point of the season I had cracked the starting rotation. The better you play, the more you can upgrade your stats.

There are also moments of roleplaying involved as well. There are rendered cutscenes that involve you talking to your agent, beefing with other players, or trying to land a big endorsement. Your career is in your own hands and 2K Sports does a fantastic job of making you feel like you are in control. Some of this game mode starts to get repetitive but that won't sink in until you've at least played through a season or two.

MyGM

If you love basketball as a simulation more than an arcade like experience then you should give the MyGM mode a shot. In 'NBA 2k14' you can put on the pressed suit and take over one of the available franchises in the NBA as a General Manager. From there you will be tasked with catering to your advertisers, answering to the team owner, and finding ways to get wins. Much like the MyPlayer mode, there are roleplaying aspects to consider. You will be given tasks and duties that allocate you points and warmed up relationships with your boss. Guide your team to a championship from the box seats instead of on the court.

Franchise

If you want an old school team management game then head on over to the Franchise mode. Here you can sign up for a team to take over and then lead them forward. You'll play all of the positions, make all of the trades, and play much like you've played in years past. It is a classic mode that will give players a great change of pace when the aforementioned modes get a little too repetitious.

Outside of those big modes there is an online multiplayer aspect that some players will find interesting. You can take your MyPlayer character online and play on the streets. You'll wander in what is a boxed in court, looking to play a pick up game with other players. It's glitchy and hard to get on when the servers are acting funky, but it is still rewarding to test your skills in this less than refined game mode. If you can get a few friends to crew up with you then you'll probably have a more enjoyable time.

On the whole we found that 'NBA 2K14' gave us everything we wanted and more while on the court. Shooting with the control stick feels as tight and natural as it possibly could. Hitting open treys with Klay Thompson feels just as good as it looks. Getting a breakaway dunk with a guy like LeBron gives you the chance to really flex your different dunking moves. The whole game feels and flows so smoothly that you'll quickly find a rhythm, while never betraying the actual simulation aspect of the game.

At the end of the day we found that 'NBA 2K14' on the PlayStation 4 was one of the best basketball games that we've ever played. From the gorgeous graphics all the way to the depth in the various game modes, we couldn't have asked for more. There are tons of smaller moments in the game that will make players smile that we couldn't list them all in this review.

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